Hibs cameraman mugged by knife thug on way to game

Alistair Grant

A MEMBER of the Hibs backroom staff was robbed at knifepoint on his way to film a youth game – with the brazen thug making off with thousands of pounds’ worth of top-class camera equipment.

The volunteer video analyst was mugged at around 1.30pm yesterday as he walked along the cycle path between the red bridge on Ferry Road and the rear of Morrisons on his way to Spartans’ Ainslie Park ground in Pilton Drive.

The 30-year-old victim was approached by the thief and threatened with a knife before having his rucksack – which contained expensive camera gear and a laptop – snatched from his hands.

Police are now on the hunt for a man described as 6ft tall, white, and in his early to mid-20s, with an unshaven complexion and a “pronounced Adam’s apple”.

He was wearing a navy blue hooded top with a zipper and white drawstrings, along with navy blue trousers and scruffy white trainers.

Sports journalist John Stephens, who was covering the match – a clash between Hibs and Aberdeen under-20s – for the Evening News, said the video analyst had been left “shocked” by the robbery.

He said: “He was speaking to people and waiting for the police to come, and I spoke to him afterwards. He was still laughing and joking, but obviously he understood the severity of it, and he looked like he was in a bit of shock.

“Two policemen took him out and round in their van to help them identify people, if he saw anyone who matched the description of those who mugged him.

“They were just doing a drive around the area to try to see who it was, and if they were still hanging about.

“They also took a couple of items of clothing off him for forensic evidence – his jacket and tracksuit top.

“It’s definitely shocking. I could barely believe it when he got to the ground and someone turned round and told me he had been mugged at knifepoint.

“It’s not the sort of thing that you expect to hear at all – and to have something like that happen in broad daylight is pretty shocking.”

The victim had been set to film the match in a bid to help the young players improve their game, as well as providing footage for Hibs’ online TV channel.

A club spokesman said: “One of our staff members was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a horrible ordeal for him but thankfully he was not hurt. We want to pass our thanks on to the police and those who were on the scene to support him after it had happened.”

Detective Constable Andy Cory said: “Anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact police immediately.”